Saint Columba of Iona

By Rev. Alban Butler (1710-1773)

(Lives of the Saints)

St. Columba, commonly pronounced Colme, was one of the greatest patriarchs of the monastic Order in Ireland, and the apostle of the Picts. To distinguish him from other saints of the same name, he was surnamed Columkille, from the great number of monastic cells, called by the Irish Killes, of which he was the founder. He was of most noble extraction from Neil, and was born at Gartan, in the county of Tyrconnel, in 521. He learned from his childhood that there is nothing great, nothing worth our esteem or pursuit, which does not advance the divine love in our souls, to which he totally devoted himself with an entire disengagement of his heart from the world, and in perfect purity of mind and body. He learned the divine scriptures and the lessons of an ascetic life under the holy bishop St. Finian, in his great school of Cluain-iraird. Being advanced to the Order of priesthood in 546, he began to give admirable lessons of piety and sacred learning, and in a short time formed many disciples. He founded, about the year 550, the great monastery of Dair-Magh, now called Durrogh, which original name signifies Field of Oaks, and besides many smaller, those of Doire or Derry in Ulster, and of Sord or Swords, about six miles from Dublin. St. Columba composed a rule which, as Usher, Tanner, and Sir James Ware inform us, is still extant in the old Irish. This rule he settled in the hundred monasteries which he founded in Ireland and Scotland. It was chiefly borrowed from the ancient oriental monastic institutes, as the inquisitive Sir Roger Twisden observes, of all the old British and Irish monastic Orders.

Saint Kevin of Glendalough, Wonderworker of Ireland (+ 618)

St. Kevin of Ireland (Feast Day - June 3)

Birth and childhood

St. Kevin was born in the year 498 in the Irish province of Leinster to noble parents, perhaps even descendant of the Kings of Leinster. Tradition holds that when he was born, his mother felt no labour pains, and the snow that fell on the day of his birth melted as it fell around the house. An angel is said to have appeared during the child's baptism, telling his parents that the child should be named "Kevin." St. Cronan, the officiating priest, said, "This was surely an angel of the Lord, and as he named the child so shall he be called." So the babe was baptised Kevin, Coemgen in the Irish tongue, which means "He of Blessed Birth." He is the first person in history to be called Kevin. His childhood was marked by a horrible temper and dislike of other people, although he loved animals.

Saint Bolcan, Bishop of Derkan (+ 480)

St. Bolcan of Derkan (Feast Day - February 20);
photo shows Cranfield Church in Armoy

Saint Bolcan (also known as Olcan) was found, when an infant, beside his dead mother, by Darius, a chief of Carsedna. It is said he lay by his dead mother for seven days, and was found on the hill at Drumbolcan, Rasharkin around 443. He was baptized at Dunseverick by Saint Patrick, and sent by him to study in Gaul. Patrick later consecrated him in 474 as Bishop of Derkan (known also as Armoy, Conderkan, Airthir-muge, Rath-mugia) in the northern Ireland province of Ulster. He was the first Bishop of Ireland. Bolcan's school there was one of the best equipped in the island. He reposed after 480. Bolcan was reputedly buried at Cranfield Church in earth brought from Rome. This church has a well known as Olcan's Well which is said to be blessed by the Saint with healing properties.

Saint Gobnata of Ballyvourney

St. Gobnata (Feast Day - February 11)

Saint Gobnata (or Gobnait, Gobnet, Deborah, Abigail) was born in County Clare of Ireland at the end of the fifth, or the beginning of the sixth century. Later she fled to the Aran Islands to escape from some enemy. An angel appeared to her one day and told her to leave that place, for it was not to be the place of her resurrection, and to keep walking until she found nine white deer.

She saw three white deer at Clondrohid, County Cork, and decided to follow them. Then at Ballymakeera, she saw six white deer. Finally, at Ballyvourney she came upon nine white deer grazing in a wood. There she was given land donated by the O'Herlihy family for a women’s monastery by her spiritual father Saint Abban of Kilabban, County Laois (March 16), and he installed her as abbess. Excavations in 1951 proved that indeed there had been an early Christian settlement on the site.

Saint Oncho of Clonmore

Saint Oncho was an Irish pilgrim, poet, guardian of the Celtic traditions, and a collector of holy relics. While pursuing his search for memorials of the Irish saints he died at Clonmore Monastery around the year 600, then governed by Saint Maidoc of Ferns, and his body was enshrined there together with the relics he had gathered.

Saint Melangell the Hermitess of Wales (+ 641)

On this day [January 31 and May 27] we commemorate the Venerable Melangell, who hailed from Ireland, and lived in asceticism in Wales.

Verses

Melangell, of the coming eternal life,
Together with the angelic choirs, was made worthy.

Saint Melangell's (pronounced Mel-en-geth, whose name has been latinised as Monacella) story begins as a familiar one. She was a seventh century Irish princess who had dedicated her life to prayer. Her father, King Iowchel, had arranged for her to marry against her will. Wishing to preserve her life of virginity and prayer, in about the year 590 she fled Ireland and settled in the countryside of Montgomeryshire (present-day Powys), at the head of the Tanant Valley in Northern Wales. There she lived a life of solitude and prayer, sleeping on bare rock with a cave as her cell.

Saint Blath of Kildare (+ 523)

St. Blath of Kildare (Feast Day - January 29)

Saint Blath was a nun who served her obedience as cook at Saint Brigid's Convent in Kildare. She earned a reputation for sanctity, and of her cooking it is said that bread and bacon at Brigid's table were better than a banquet elsewhere. A miracle concerning Blath says that an almost empty dearth of milk lasted well beyond what it should have after Blath continued to dip cup after cup of milk from the almost empty dearth for the poor. Blath is the Irish word for 'flower', and is thus Latinized as Flora.

Saint Cannera of Inis Cathaig (+ 530)

St. Cannera of Inis Cathaig (Feast Day - January 28)

Little is known of Saint Cannera (or Conaire) except that which is recorded in the story of Saint Senan, who ruled a monastery on Scattery Island (Inis Cathaig), which ministered to the dying--but only men. Cannera was an anchorite from Bantry in southern Ireland. When she knew she was dying, she traveled to Senan's monastery, after a divine vision directed her there, without rest and walked upon the water to cross the river because no one would take her to the place forbidden to women. Upon her arrival, the abbot was adamant that no woman could enter his monastic enclosure. Arguing that Christ died for women, too, she convinced the abbot to give her last rites on the island and to bury her at its furthermost edge. Against his argument that the waves would wash away her grave, she answered that she would leave that to God. Probably because Saint Cannera walked across the water, sailors honor their patron by saluting her resting place on Scattery Island. They believed that pebbles from her island protected the bearer from shipwreck. A 16th-century Gaelic poem about Cannera prays, "Bless my good ship, protecting power of grace...."

Saint Natalis of Ulster (+ 564)

St. Natalis of Ulster (Feast Day - January 27);
(photo) Ruins of St Naile's Church in the Parish of Kinawley

His father was Aenghus, who was 3rd in descent from Lughaidh, King of Munster. Saint Natalis (also called Naile) was a disciple of Saint Columba and founded monasteries throughout Ulster in northern Ireland, serving as an abbot at St Naul’s Abbey, Inver (County Donegal), Kinawley (Cill Naile), Inver Naile (at Raphoe, County Donegal), and Devenish Island, where he succeeded Saint Molaise. A well in his memory still exists beside Kinawley Church, where the handle of his bell was preserved up to the 19th century.

Saint Finbarr, Bishop of Cork

St. Finbarr of Cork (Feast Day - September 25)

Born in Templemartin, near Bandon, and originally named Lóchán (modern form, Loan), he was the son of Amergin of Maigh Seóla, a skilled craftsman originally from Galway. He studied in Ossory, corresponding approximately to the present County Kilkenny. He was renamed "Fionnbharra" (Fairhead in Irish), reportedly when, on being tonsured, the presiding cleric remarked: "Is fionn barr ("find barr", in the Irish of the time) Lócháin", meaning, "Fair is the crest of Loan"), and he then became known as "Findbarr" ("Fionnbarra" in modern Irish) because of his fair hair. He went on pilgrimage to Rome with some of the monks, visiting Saint David in Wales on the way back.

Saint Finnian of Movilla (+ 589)

St. Finnian of Movilla (Feast Day - September 10)

Saint Finnian was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He apparently studied under Colman of Dromore and Mochaoi of Nendrum, and subsequently at Candida Casa (Whithorn), after which he proceeded to Rome to complete his studies. Legend has it that whilst at Candida Casa, he played a prank (nature unknown) on Princess Drustice, the daughter of a Pictish king, who was in the ladies' section of the monastery, and perhaps had he not been so well connected, his clerical career could have been in ruins. However after spending seven years in Rome, he was ordained a priest, and returned to Ireland with a copy of Saint Jerome's Vulgate. He returned to found a monastery of his own and, at a time when books were rare, this text brought honor and prestige to the establishment.

Saint Kieran of Clonmacnoise (+ 549)

St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise (Feast Day - September 9)

Saint Kieran (Ciaran), who has been described as a lamp shining with the light of knowledge, was born in 512 and raised in Connacht, Ireland. His father was a builder of chariots. He was one of eight children, at least two of whom also embraced the monastic life.

Kieran had a special affinity for animals, and even had a fox for a pet. The Saint left home as a boy, driving a cow before him to pay for his keep. He went to study with Saint Finnian of Clonard (Dec. 12), and became one of the so-called Twelve Apostles of Ireland. Some of the others were Saint Columba of Iona (June 9), Ninnidh (Nennius) of Lough Erne (Jan. 16), and Saint Brendan the Voyager (May 16).

Saint Eogan, Bishop of Ardstraw (+ 618)

St. Eogan of Ardstraw (Feast Day - August 23)

Saint Eogan was born in Leinster, the son of Cainneach and Muindeacha. His mother is said to have been of the Mugdorna of southeast Ulster. These people seem to have had some contact with the Laighin (who gave their name to Leinster), to whom his father Cainneach belonged. Since this is the area where Christianity first reached Ireland it may well be that Eoghan's father's family had been Christian for some time. As a boy he studied at Clones, and it was from there that he was carried off to Britain by pirates, and subsequently he was taken captive to Brittany, together with Cairbre of Coleraine and Saint Tigernach (Apr. 4), who is best known as the founder of the abbey of Clones. On obtaining his freedom, he went to study at Saint Ninian's Candida Casa. Others said to have studied with Ninian include Finnian of Moville. He may also have spent some time in Brittany (Armorica). Returning to Ireland, he made a foundation at Kilnamanagh, in the Wicklow hills.

Saint Govan the Hermit (+ 586)

St. Govan the Hermit (Feast Day - June 20)

Saint Govan was an Irish monk who traveled to Wales late in life to seek the friends and family of the abbot who had trained him, variously identified as Saint David or Saint Ailbe of Emly. He was set upon by pirates, from Ireland or the nearby Lundy Island. The cliff opened up and left a fissure just big enough for him to hide in until the pirates left. In gratitude, he decided to stay on along the cliff, probably to help warn the locals of the impending pirate attack if they were to return.

Saint Columba of Iona, Enlightener of Scotland (+ 597)

St. Columba of Iona (Feast Day - June 9)

A poet, prophet and monk of royal Irish lineage, Columba went to Scotland to evangelize the pagan Picts. He was a student of Finnian of Clonard. His name means “Dove of the Church.” 

Columba was born into a royal clan in Donegal, Ireland. He called Christ “his druid,” or teacher. Columcille, his Irish name, or Columba, as he is known in Latin Britain, founded the monasteries of Derry and Durrow in his native Ireland, and the island monastery of Iona on the coast of Scotland. Iona was the center of operations for the conversion of the Scots and Picts, and became the most famous monastic complex in Scotland. There Columba baptized Brude, King of the Picts, and later a King of the Scots came to this Abbot of the "Holy Isle" for baptism. All of these monasteries had oak groves, the favorite trees of the druids. 

Saint Fursey, Enlightener of East Anglia and Langy (+ 650)

By Venerable Bede

(Ecclesiastical History of England, Bk. 3, Ch. 19)

How Fursa (Fursey) built a monastery among the East Angles, and of his visions and sanctity, to which, his flesh remaining uncorrupted after death bore testimony. [575-650 A.D.]

WHILST Sigbert still governed the kingdom, there came out of Ireland a holy man called Fursa, renowned both for his words and actions, and remarkable for singular virtues, being desirous to live as a stranger and pilgrim for the Lord’s sake, wherever an opportunity should offer. On coming into the province of the East Angles, he was honorably received by the aforesaid king, and performing his wonted task of preaching the Gospel, by the example of his virtue and the influence of his words, converted many unbelievers to Christ, and confirmed in the faith and love of Christ those that already believed.

Saint Gall, Enlightener of Switzerland (+ 646)

It was in Ireland that St. Gall was born, just about the time that St. Comgall founded his famous monastery of Bangor (c. 555) where St. Gall was sent by his parents to be educated. There the young Cellach (St. Gall's name at birth) became well-versed in both Sacred Scripture and poetry.

St. Comgall was a strict and righteous ascetic who guided several thousand monks. Among his disciples was St. Columban (not to be confused with St. Columba or Columcille of Iona) who ordained St. Gall to the priesthood after the latter had spent some years in ascetic labors. With St. Comgull's blessing, St. Gall was chosen together with eleven other monks to accompany St. Columban on a missionary venture.

Saint Brendan the Anchorite, also known as the Navigator or Voyager (+ c. 577)

St. Brendan the Voyager (Feast Day - May 16)

“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.” - Psalm 107:23, 24

Our holy father among the saints Brendan was born about 484 AD to an Irish family near the present city of Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. He was baptized at Tubrid, near Ardfert by Saint Erc, and was originally to be called "Mobhí" but signs and portents attending his birth and baptism led to him being called 'Broen-finn' or 'fair-drop'. At a very young age he began his education in the priesthood and studied under Saint Ita at Killeedy. Later he completed his studies under Saint Erc, who ordained him in 512 AD.

Saint Patrick of Ireland Resource Page

St. Patrick of Ireland (Feast Day - March 17)

Verses

Patrick shined upon Ireland,
The ray of grace of the Gospel.

  

The Confession of Saint Patrick 

 

Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus (St. Patrick of Ireland) 

 

Select Orthodox Hymns from the Greek Service to St. Patrick of Ireland 

 

In the Footsteps of St. Patrick (video) 

 

The History of Saint Patrick - a Short Story (video) 

 

Saint Patrick and Unceasing Prayer of the Heart 

 

Miracles in the Life of Saint Patrick 

   

Saint Patrick and the Flesh-Meat that Changed into Fishes 

  

Saint Patrick's Relics

 

Saint Patrick and the Legends of the Snakes and the Shamrock 

 

Synaxis of All Saints of Scotland 

 

Saint Brigid (Bridget) of Ireland 

 

Celtic Christianity Rooted In Ancient Tradition

The Confession of Saint Patrick

St. Patrick is a patron saint of Ireland. Although many details of his life are shrouded in mystery and legend, it is clear that St. Patrick had a profound impact upon the people of Ireland. The Confession of St. Patrick is the brief story of St. Patrick's life, told through his own eyes. The work provides an intriguing glance into one of history's best-known saints. The Confession of St. Patrick is similar to St. Augustine's Confessions -- they are more theological in nature than autobiographical. Scholars have speculated that St. Patrick penned this work in defense of his good name, after having his character attacked by people in power. Regardless, it provides a stirring account of the miraculous ways that God works, and encourages believers into a life of courage and holiness.

Historians believe that St. Patrick's missionary career in Ireland took place in the 5th century, though they are uncertain of the date of his birth. Born in Britain (c. 373 AD), Patrick was kidnapped into slavery at the age of sixteen to serve as a herdsman in Ireland for six years. During the second half of the 4th century, when Roman power was in decline in Italy and Britain, Irish raiding expeditions were common along the west coast of Britain, and unconverted Patrick was seized by such raiders. In a dream, he heard that the ship in which he was to make his escape was ready, so he fled his master and found his way back to Britain. A dream came to Patrick after he had escaped from Ireland and returned to Britain. One Victoricus appeared to Patrick, delivering him a letter titled, "The Voice of the Hibernians". Hibernia is the Latin name for the island of Ireland. As Patrick read the letter, he seemed to hear a company of Irish beseeching him to return to Ireland. Though Patrick doubted his fitness and educational preparation for such a task, he entered his missionary task to the Irish people (405 AD) with the zeal of an Apostle Paul. He met with great success in Ulster and Tara, though he faced the continual threat of martyrdom at the hands of the pagans and Druids. His success with the Irish was matched by his trouble with his ecclesiastical superiors in Britain; but through it all, he humbly promoted the "Gospel of the Grace of God" (Acts 20:24). He reposed in peace in 461.